Tenant burned over 70 percent of body in Webster fire

WEBSTER — A second-floor tenant suffered extensive burns in an early morning blaze Monday that incinerated his apartment and forced residents to flee the building.

The Worcester district attorney's office confirmed the victim's identity as David Bacon, 60. Mr. Bacon suffered extensive burns in the blaze that displaced residents of the 1890 building at 104-106 Main St., home of Matte's Hardware Store. The fire, which the state fire marshal's office said appeared to be accidental, was reported shortly after midnight. It remained under investigation Monday night, according to Jennifer Mieth, a spokeswoman for the fire marshal's office.

Several tenants said Mr. Bacon kept a kerosene lamp in his apartment.

He was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, according to authorities. Mr. Bacon suffered burns to more than 70 percent of his body, police said.

Chad Rico, who lived in one of the three second-floor apartments, said he was watching TV when he heard the building's alarms going off in the middle of the night.

"I didn't think nothing of it at first," Mr. Rico said. "Then there was smoke billowing in my apartment."

Mr. Rico said he left his apartment to investigate. He said he started to crawl on his hands and knees along the hallway when he saw a neighbor run out of an apartment. Mr. Rico said that neighbor, a man, was on fire.

"One of his friends tackled him and beat him with a carpet to put the fire out," Mr. Rico said.

Mr. Rico said he ran back into his apartment and grabbed his phone to call 911. He got his fiancée, his 4-year-old daughter and a dog out as fast as he could, he said.

Fire Chief Brian Hickey said the fire started in the second-floor apartment. He credited firefighters from Webster, Dudley, Southbridge, Oxford and Douglas with keeping the fire from spreading beyond that apartment.

Noelle Majewski lived in one of the third-floor apartments. She returned to the building mid-morning to collect what she could of her family's personal possessions. She was fearful her cat was lost, because it still had not turned up.

"I just hope he got out," Ms. Majewski said.

The building is owned by Arthur and Shelly Matte. William Daniels, who is Ms. Matte's father, said the hardware store sustained significant water and smoke damage. Water dripped from the soaked, sagging ceiling tiles hours after the fire was extinguished.

Nine volunteers from the American Red Cross assisted displaced residents throughout the night with food, clothing and shelter.

Some listings have the building at 112 Main St., but the town assessor's office has the address as 104-106 Main St.